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Victim Advocate Seminars

Connecting Victims with Civil Attorneys

Every crime victim has the right to file a civil lawsuit but it's difficult to find the right attorney. Our attorney referral line refers crime victims to civil attorneys with the right experience to help them secure justice. Crime victims can call 202-467-8716 for an attorney referral.

Tortured teen gets millions from county for failure to protect

By Suzanne Phan / KXTV

Kyle runs through a health club in Tracy, California, pleading for help. Haunting video of the tortured teen shows him wearing only boxer shorts and a shackle on his ankle -- his back is covered with bruises and dirt. That was in 2008 when Kyle escaped from seven years of torture.
Kyle's four captors were sentenced to 30 years in prison for a slew of offenses, including child abuse, false imprisonment and torture using a bat, knife and belt, according to court documents.
For the first time, Kyle and his family talked Thursday about the torture and the $4 million settlement from Sacramento County Child Protective Services.

John Clune and Baine Kerr are widely recognized as the best attorneys in the country for victims of sex crimes at colleges, with an expertise in high-profile cases involving athletes. They currently represent women suing Florida State, the University of Oregon, and the University of Tulsa — all asserting the schools are financially liable for sex crimes committed by athletes — and are also suing Winston, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and former Florida State star, on behalf of his accuser..

Pine Bush School District Settles Anti-Semitism Suit for $4.48 Million

By BENJAMIN WEISER / New York Times

An upstate New York school district has agreed to pay $4.48 million and enact broad reforms in curriculum and training to settle a lawsuit by five current and former Jewish students who claimed that they had been victims of pervasive anti-Semitism in the schools, a court filing on Monday showed.

The Roman Catholic archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis and a deputy bishop resigned on Monday after prosecutors recently charged the archdiocese with having failed to protect youths from abuse by pedophile priests.

Clergy Sex Abuse Victims In Montana's Diocese of Helena To Receive $20 Million In Payments

By Matthew Brown / Huffington Post

Hundreds of victims of clergy sex abuse that spanned decades in Montana stand to receive payments totaling about $20 million, after a federal judge on Wednesday confirmed the bankruptcy reorganization plan for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena.

Archbishop: 'Please, please, keep me in your prayers'

No Clear Cut Outcome for Supreme Court's Internet Free Speech Case

By CBS News staff / CBS News

Jeff Dion, deputy executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime, said after Monday's arguments that the government made a strong case.
Throwing out Elonis' conviction would effectively "make a rulebook on how to legally threaten your spouse," Dion argued. Justice Samuel Alito indicated he agreed with that point, according to Scotusblog.
Should Elonis win, it would invalidate a majority of stalking statutes in the U.S., Dion said.

Bill extends time limit on sexual abuse lawsuits

By Travis Andersen, Derek Anderson, Jennifer Smith / Boston Globe

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Legislature is on the verge of finalizing a bill that will give alleged child sexual abuse victims an additional 32 years to file civil lawsuits, a move one specialist said will open the door to thousands of new cases.
The bill would extend the statute of limitations for filing suits against alleged perpetrators and, in future cases, the people or institution supervising them. Under the legislation, the victims would be able to file suits up to age 53, instead of the current limit of age 21.

The Perils of Paroline v. United States and What Congress Must Do Next

Professor Marci Hamilton

The Supreme Court’s decision in Paroline v. United States cannot be an easy read for the victims of child pornography. It is filled with the legal jargon of statutory interpretation, restitution, and torts, because, in the Court’s defense, that is what the legal issues are about. For the survivors, though, this case is only about how to wring some justice out of the wild west marketplace in internet pornography. The guidance they receive in Paroline is unsatisfying, but it should not be disheartening. Congress simply has more work to do.

Parents of Boy Who Killed Self After Bullying Can Sue

NBC News

The parents of a 13-year-old boy who killed himself after being bullied in his Texas school can sue the school district, a federal appeals court has ruled. Jon Carmichael hanged himself in 2010 after months of what his parents claimed was non-stop bullying at the Joshua Independent School District that included being called homophobic slurs and being stripped of his underwear in a locker room..

Court considers Liability of Franchisor for the Death of Restaurant Worker During Armed Robbery

September 3, 2014

The U.S. District Court for New Mexico has allowed a lawsuit against Denny’s to proceed after finding that the restaurant chain could be liable if the victim’s estate proves the facts alleged in the lawsuit. The district court opinion is an excellent summary of franchisee/franchisor law.

In Memory of C. Donald Briggs

September 29, 2014

The National Crime Victim Bar Association mourns the death of member C. Donald Briggs of Camden, Maine. He passed away on September 7, 2014. For many years, he represented victims of drunk driving, nursing home abuse and inadequate security, and fought to secure justice in the civil courts for those victims of crime. He previously served as the President of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association, and at the time of his death was President of the Knox County Bar Association. He is survived by his wife, Alison Wholey Briggs, with whom he practiced law and who is also a member of the National Crime Victim Bar Association. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and express our gratitude for his dedicated service to victims of crime.

Judge Lets Abuse Case Against Former Harvard Swim Coach Proceed

By Matt Rocheleau / The Boston Globe

Citing a new Massachusetts law extending the statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases, a judge ruled that a former Billerica man can proceed with a lawsuit against Harvard University that alleges he was repeatedly raped and molested by a swimming coach at the campus over four decades ago.
The lawsuit filed in June 2012 by Stephen Embry had been dismissed by a judge last November because it was filed about 15 months after the state’s statute of limitations on such cases had expired.
However, Embry’s lawyer, Carmen L. Durso, appealed that ruling, and in June lawmakers passed new legislation extending the statute of limitations in such cases. The law applied retroactively.

Portland Jury Awards Record Sum Against DHS: $4.1M to girls who said foster mom molested them

By Aimee Green / The Oregonian

A Portland jury on Friday awarded the largest sum ever levied against the Oregon Department of Human Services for failing to protect children: $4.1 million to two girls who said they were molested by their Portland foster mom, who had been reported to a child-abuse hotline seven times before state child-welfare workers intervened.

Our new attorney referral phone line has been opened. If you are a victim seeking a referral, please call (202) 467-8716.

New Legislation Would Hold Child Sex Abusers and the Institutions that Facilitated Abuse Accountable

For Immediate Release
February 13, 2013

Contact: Darin BrotonTunheim
952.851.7286
dbroton@tunheim.com

Elizabeth KittTunheim
952.851.7225
ekitt@tunheim.com

St. Paul, Minn.– A group of law enforcement officers and child sexual abuse victim advocate organizations today announced their support for legislation that would give victims new opportunities to seek justice against their abusers and the institutions that facilitated the abuse. The legislation, the Minnesota Child Victims Act, will be introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate later this week.

The Minnesota Child Victims Act would make it easier for Minnesotans who were sexually abused as children to bring civil lawsuits against their abuser or the institution that facilitated the abuse. The legislation would remove the current statute of limitation that requires victims to file lawsuit within six years of becoming an adult. If the bill is passed into law, victims could file a lawsuit at any time no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.

“Current state law treats child sexual abuse the same as fraud and product liability,” said Representative Steve Simon (DFL- St. Louis Park), author of the legislation in the Minnesota House. “Sexually abusing a child is a horrific crime and those who abuse children and the institutions that permit it need to be held accountable.”

The legislation comes after a 2013 Adverse Child Experiences study by the Minnesota Department of Health showed 10 percent of Minnesotans were sexually abused as children. A recent survey by the National Center for the Victims of Crime indicated that one out of two Minnesotans know someone who was sexually abused as a child.

“The Minnesota Child Victims Act removes barriers that prevent victims from coming forward and seeking justice,” said Senator Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), author of the legislation in the Minnesota Senate. “It sometimes takes decades for victims to confront the abuse, but current state law requires them to come forward before 24 years of age. Our legislation rightfully recognizes the healing process while holding abusers and institutions accountable.”

The legislation is supported by numerous child abuse victim advocate organizations, including the National Center for Victims of Crime, Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Minnesota Alliance on Crime, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, National Child Protection Training Center, Stop Abuse Campaign and 1in6.

“The sexual abuse of children is a public health epidemic,” said Jeff Dion, deputy executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime. “Victims of child sexual abuse have an increased risk as adults of alcohol and substance abuse, eating disorders, posttraumatic stress and suicide.”

In addition to advocate organizations, the Minnesota Child Victims Act is supported by local law enforcement officials, including Kanabec County Attorney Amy Brosnahan, Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom, Carver County Attorney Mark Metz and Mower County Attorney Kristen Nelson. Kathleen Blatz, former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, also supports the legislation.

“Child Sexual Abuse is a crime shrouded in shame and secrecy,” said Blatz. “Nearly every state recognizes the unique nature of sex abuse and has special laws for holding accountable perpetrators and other responsible parties. Eliminating the civil statute of limitations will allow all victims to be heard and to seek justice.”

Forty-one states recognize the unique nature of child sexual abuse cases and have separate statute of limitations for abuse lawsuits. California, Delaware and Hawaii are the only states that have allowed abuse cases with expired statute of limitations to move forward, but only gave victims a short window to file lawsuits. The Minnesota Child Victims Act would make Minnesota the only state to give victims the right to pursue civil lawsuits for expired cases without a time restriction.

About the National Center for Victims of Crime

The National Center for Victims of Crime, established in 1985, is the nation's leading resource and advocacy organization for crime victims and those who serve them. For more than 25 years, the National Center has led this nation's struggle to provide crime victims with the rights, protections, and services they need to rebuild their lives. Visit www.victimsofcrime.org for more information.